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“The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13 HCSB
This phrase is mirrored in the NT with James 5:16…
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”
James 5:16 HCSB
What I find interesting about the James passage is that it adds “to one another.” It’s easy to confess in private to God and keep the sins concealed from others. Often we justify this behavior because it’s done within the context of our relationship with God. That’s great. But if we aren’t careful, it can lead to a false sense of security. It can lead us into a pattern where we think we are being spiritual by confessing to God but continue on the see-saw of sin without any real, tangible growth.
This is why the Proverbs passage notes that it’s easier to conceal. The fear is that when we confess, we will find shame and guilt. We fear being embarrassed in front of our friends and family, and even worse, what they will think about us afterward. The truth is, if we are confessing to a believer saved by grace, we should be met with a combination of grace and truth.
The confessing is not where it stops though as we are encouraged to also pray for one another through this confession. This is key. When we only confess to God, we do not surround ourselves with like-minded individuals who will go to battle with us in prayer. God wants a relationship with us, but He created us to live in community with other believers. If we are not confessing to others, we will not reap the powerful prayers of God’s people.
I think it goes without saying that pride is what stunts our confession. So, have you been confessing your sins to trusted, like-minded believers? Why not? Could it be that your pride won’t allow it?
This is a great reminder for those of us who are battling personal issues (who isn’t right?) day in and day out. We need to draw close to others, not push them away. We are called to walk together, confess together, and pray together. In that, we will find everything we need to live a holy and productive life through Christ Jesus.